Ailill mac Nath Í (died c. 482 or 484), called Ailill Molt, is included in most lists of the High Kings of Ireland and is also called

King of Connacht The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the ''cóiced'' (variously translated as portion, fifth, province) of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named ...

. His

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditar ...

, ''molt'', means " ram" but its origin is unknown.

Family

Ailill was said to be the son of Nath Í and Ethne ingen Chonrach Cais. His paternal grandfather Fiachrae is called a brother of

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall Noígíallach (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

. Ailill thus belonged to the

Connachta The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasty, dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King of Ireland, High King Conn of the Hundred Battles, Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles). The modern western Provinces of ...

, a kindred united by supposed descent from

Conn of the Hundred Battles Conn Cétchathach (), or Conn of the Hundred Battles, son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a legendary High King of Ireland who is claimed to be the ancestor of the Connachta, and through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, w ...

, which included the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...

, the

Uí Briúin The Uí Briúin were a royal dynasty of Connacht. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brión, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with th ...

and, named for Ailill's grandfather, the Uí Fiachrach. Although Ailill's descendants are not reckoned High Kings of Ireland, his grandson Eógan Bél and great-grandson Ailill Inbanda are counted as Kings of Connacht. Ailill's son Mac Ercae may have been an important historical figure, but the record conflates Mac Ercae mac Ailello Muilt and the Uí Néill king Muirchertach mac Muiredaig, called Muirchertach Mac Ercae, probably confusing events beyond recovery.

Historicity

The broad agreement of generally pro-Uí Néill sources that Ailill was High King is offered as proof that this was the case. Although the chronology of 5th century High Kings has been the subject of manipulation, it is seen as unlikely that later historians and genealogists would have added a non-Uí Néill king had the belief that Ailill was king not been widespread. Ailill is said to have become High King following the supernatural death of Lóegaire mac Néill, supposedly c. 463. The

Irish annals A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over ti ...

contain many references to him, but most of these are taken to be late additions, or come from the now lost '' Book of Cuanu'', extracts of which are preserved in the ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

''. Tradition has him killed in battle at Faughan Hill, fighting against the sons of Niall. The king lists say that he was succeeded by Lugaid mac Lóegairi. Opposing the view that Ailill was included as a High King from the earliest times, Thomas Charles-Edwards suggests that the inclusion of Nath Í and Ailill Molt was a means to reinforce links between the Uí Néill and the other branches of the Connachta in the late 7th or 8th centuries, when he presumes the king lists and the annals related to Saint Patrick to have been collected and edited. This is offered without giving undue support to any contemporary claims by the other Connachta kindreds, the Uí Ailello and, in particular, the powerful Uí Briúin, to the High Kingship.

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ailill Molt 480s deaths 5th-century Irish monarchs High Kings of Ireland Kings of Connacht Monarchs from County Mayo Ui Fiachrach Year of birth unknown